Graphical recording device



March 20, 1956 K, M 2,739,031

GRAPHICAL RECORDING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

m iiiiiiiiTTii iiiifiifiim INVENTOR March 20, 1956 K. MEER GRAPHICALRECORDING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1955 FIG. 4

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GRAPHICAL RECORDING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR fa! $.44,

K. MEER GRAPHICAL RECORDING DEVICE March 20, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledMarch 25, 1953 United States Patent GRAPHICAL RECGRDING DEVICE KarlMeer, Villingen, Black Forest, Germany, assignor to Firma KienzleApparate G. in. b. H., Villingen,

Black Forest, Germany Application March 25, 1953, Serial No. 344,63Claims priority, application Germany April 1, 1952 Claims. (Cl. 346-121)The present invention relates to graphical recording devices, and moreparticularly to a tachograph for recording the distance covered by avehicle during a day, the time required for stops, the speed of thevehicle, and similar data.

Tachographs comprise measuring means connected by a bendable shaft tothe drive of the vehicle and move writing points in radial directionover rotating writing sheets which are driven by a clock motor. For thepurpose of checking a trip of several days, a plurality of writingsheets are provided, each writing sheet corresponding to a day of thetrip. After each revolution of the pile of writing sheets, the completedtop sheet is removed, and the recording is continued on the next writingSheet.

Consequently, frequent access to the writing sheets is necessary, and inthe known constructions it is difficult to remove and insert writingsheets since the same are located between the clock motor, and a supporton one hand, and the writing points on the other hand.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantagesof the known graphical recording devices and to provide an arrangementpermitting separation of the writing sheets from the writing points.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a housing for agraphical recording device consisting of two separable housing halveswhich are joined in an operating plane in which the writing sheets andthe writing points are located.

' It is a further object of the present invention to provide means forattaching a plurality of superimposed writing sheets to a base sheet bymeans of tape pieces provided with an adhesive only on one side thereof.

' It is a still further object of the present invention to provide aknife in the part of the housing which supports the writing sheets, suchknife separating the completed writing sheets from the blank sheets bycutting the tape pieces.

With these objects in view the present invention mainly consists in agraphical recording device, and comprises, in combination, a' firstsupporting means, a rotary support rotatably mounted in the firstsupporting means, drive means located in the first supporting means forrotating the rotary support, the rotary support having a transversesupporting face located in an operating plane, means for securingwriting sheets to the supporting face of the rotary support for rotatingin the operating plane, a second' supporting means, measuring meanssecured to the second supporting means, movable writing means mounted onthe second supporting means and actuated by the measuring means, themovable writing means having writing point means for writing on thesheets, and attaching means separably attaching the first supportingmeans to the second supporting means with the writing point meanslocated inthe operating plane so that when the first and secondsupporting means are separated, the writing means and the rotary supportare separated and the writing sheets are easily accessible.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention a circularbase sheet member is connected to a plurality of superimposed writingsheets by means of tape pieces, and the writing sheets are provided withsector shaped cut outs which are progressively staggered in onedirection so that a knife secured to the first supporting meansconsecutively passes through the cut outs in the writing sheets and cutsthe tape which connects a completed sheet with the base sheet member.The completed writing sheet is stopped, while the writing point projectsthrough the sector-shaped cut out in the completed sheet and slides onthe rotating adjacent blank sheet.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantage thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the 'accom panying drawings, inwhich:

Fi g. l is a front view of an opened tachograph according to the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a detail partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a tachograph according to the presentinvention, portions of the casing being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view of the movable part of the housing;

Fig. 6 is aside view of the movable part of the housing;

Fig. 7 is aplan view showing the connection between the writing sheetsand the base sheet member;

Fig. 8 is a side view showing the arrangement of the tape piecesconnecting the writing sheets to the base sheet member;

Fig. 9 is a plan View ofa writing sheet; and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the last writing sheet.

Referring now to the drawings,- and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 4,the tachograph according to the present invention consists of a firsthousing or supporting means 3 which is attached by suitable attachingmeans, such as the hinge means 2 to a second housing or supporting means1 and can be pivoted between the open position shown in Fig. l and theclosed position shown in Fig. 4. The pivoted lid 3 can be locked by alock 11 operated by the key 1 2.

The tachograph can be secured by means of the member 5, the spindle 6and the wing nut 6' to the dash board of the vehicle. The measuringmeans, not shown, for measuring the speed of the vehicle and thedistances cov-- ered by the same are secured to the rear wall 4 of thehousing portion 1, and are connected through the con necting shaft 7,and a bendable shaft, not shown, to the drive of the vehicle. Thisdriving arrangement for the measuring means is not an object of thepresent invention and therefore not shown. The measuring means actuatewriting means 8, 9 and 10, and preferably one writing point is providedfor recording the speed, one writing. point for recording the mileage,and one writing point for recording stops.

In the lid part 3 of the housing a clock motor 13 is arranged which iswound up by the ring 13'. The clock motor operates clock bands which arearranged on the frontface of the lid, not shown, and also drives arotary. support 14 on which the writing sheets 15 are supported.

The rotary support 14 is provided with a center pin 16, see Fig. 2,which passes through holes in the circular writing sheets 15 which arearranged on a sleeve member 17. A knob 18 has a pin 19 which projectsinto a helical slot 20 in the center pin 16 so that the spring 21 iscompressed when the button is rotated whereby the writing sheets arepressed against the rotary support 14 so that.

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small needle points 14' enter the bottom sheet and nonrotatably securethe pile of writing sheets to the rotary support 14.

Since the writing sheets 15 project beyond the edge of the rotarysupporting member 14, a writing support 23 is provided which has a faceportion arranged opposite the writing 'points 8, 9 and for supportingthe writing sheets. Preferably the writing support 23 is pivotallymounted on a pivotpin 27 vby means of an extension 26 so that thesupporting member 23 can be pivoted into an inoperative position inwhich the signal lamp 22, which indicates high speed, is easilyaccessible. A contact spring 28 is secured to the writing support 23electrically insulated therefrom and is connected to a battery by meansof a flexible wire, not shown. The contact 28 engages the middle contact29 of the signal lamp 22, while the socket thread of the lamp 22 isconnected to the other terminal of the battery.

Since the writing sheets are supported by the rotary support 14 and bythe writing support 23 in an operating plane in which the writing points8, 9 and 10 are located, the radial movements of the writing points dueto the movement of the measuring means produces a graph on the top sheetof the rotating pile of sheets 15.

If the lid 3 is pivoted about the hinge pin 2 to an open position, asshown in Fig. l, the writing points 8, 9 and 10 are separated from thesheets 15, and the knob 18 can be easily operated for removing andinserting writing sheets.

In order to permit a continuous operation, the writing sheets 15 to 15are secured to a base sheet member 1'5 by pieces of tape 32, as shown inFigs. 7 and 8. All writing sheets, except the last sheet 15", areprovided with sector-shaped cut outs 30, and as shown in Fig. 7 thewriting sheets are first arranged about the base sheet member 15*, whichalso has no cut out and does not serve recording purposes. Each writingsheet is connected by a piece of tape 32 adjacent to the cut out thereinto the base sheet member 15 so that when the staggered writing sheets 15to 15 are pivoted about the associated tape, all writing sheets 15 to 15form a pile, in the manner shown in Fig. 8 for two writing sheets. Itwill be understood that in this pile of writing sheets the cut cuts 30will be progressively staggered in one direction.

When a pile of writing sheets together with the supporting sheet member15 is placed on the center pin 16 and on the rotary support 14, theknife member 24 projects into the region of the cut outs and slides onthe writing sheets in the operating plane. When after each revolution ofthe rotary support 14 a graph has been completed on a writing sheet, theknife 24 passes through the sector- ,shaped cut out 34) in the completedwriting sheet onto the writing sheet directly below it and cuts the tapepiece 32 connecting the same with the completed writing sheet. Thecompleted writing sheet passes over the knife and is stopped by the stop25, which is secured to the stationary supporting member 23 and projectsinto the cut out 30 of the completed writing sheet,.as shown in Figs. 1and 3. The writing points 8, 9, and 10 are now located in the cut out 30of the completed and stopped writing sheet and slide on the nextfollowing writing sheet which is rotated by the rotary support 14. Thisoperation is continued until the lowermost writing sheet 15 iscompleted, which is not provided with a cut out whereupon the ap paratusis stopped.

The arrangement of the writing sheets and of the supporting sheet member15 is particularly advantageous since the tape pieces 32 need only anadhesive coating on one side, and since the writing sheets can bearranged in the position shown in Fig. 7 by means of a pattern so thatthe production of the exchangeable pads of writing sheets supported onthe sheet member 15 can be carried out on machines while the cut outsare arranged in the finished pad of writing sheets in the required staggered position.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the writing sheets are provided withadditional areas 37 in which descriptive material such as the mileageregistered on the respective writing sheet may be entered by the driver.The area 34 is provided for registering the speed, the area 35 isprovided for registering the driving and stopping times, and the area 36for registering the mileage.

0n the lowermost writing sheet 15 an additional sector-shaped area 38 isprovided on which the mileage found on all writing sheets and noted onthe respective writing sheets may be entered and added. Suitable linesand other printed indications may be provided on the writing sheets.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofgraphical recording devices differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in atachograph having a housing separable in an operating plane in which thewriting sheets and the Writing points are located, it is not intended tobe limited to the details shown, since various modifications andstructural changes may be made without departing in any way from thespirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A tachograph recording device, comprising in combination, a firstsupporting means; a rotary support rotatably mounted in said firstsupporting means; drive means located in said first supporting means forrotating said rotary support, said rotary support having a transversesupporting face located in an operating plane; a circular base sheetmember supported on said supporting face; a plurality of circularsuperimposed writing sheets superimposed on said base sheet member andhaving the same diameter as the same, each of said writing sheets withthe exception of the writing sheet located adjacent said base sheetmember being formed with a sector-shaped cut out, said sector-shaped cutouts being progressively staggered in one direction; a plurality of tapepieces, each tape piece secured at one end thereof to said base sheetmember at equally spaced points adjacent the perimeter of the same, andsecured at the other end thereof to one of said writing sheets adjacentthe segment-shaped cut out in the same; holding means for securing saidsuperimposed writing sheets and said base sheet member to saidsupporting face of said rotary support for rotation in said operatingplaneja knife member secured to said first supporting means and locatedin said operating plane, said knife member projecting inwardly in radialdirection into the region of said cut outs so as to pass successivelythrough the cut out of each writing sheet and onto the adjacent writingsheet during rotation of said rotary support and to cut one of said'tape pieces after each revolution for separating completed writingsheets from blank writing sheets; a stop on said knife member passingthrough the cut out of the last completed writing sheet and engaging andarresting the latter, completed and arrested writing sheets being heldby said holding means immovable on said rotary support; a secondsupporting means; measuring means secured to said second supportmgmeans; movable writing means mounted on said second supporting means andactuated by said measuring means, said movable writing means havingwriting point means for writing on writing sheets rotating with saidrotary supporting means and adapted to project through the cut outs ofcompleted and arrested writing sheets; and attaching means separablyattaching said first supporting means to said second supporting meanswith said writing point means located in saidoperating plane so thatwhen said first and second supporting means are separated, said writingmeans and said rotary support are separated and said writing sheetsareeasily accessible.

2. A tachograph comprising, in combination, a first housing means; arotary support rotatably mounted in said first housing means; drivemeans located in said first housing means for rotating said rotarysupport, said rotary support having a transverse supporting face locatedin an operating plane; a circular base sheet member supported on saidsupporting face; a plurality of circular superimposed writing sheetssuperimposed on said base sheet member and having the same diameter asthe same, each of said writing sheets with the exception of the writingsheet located adjacent said base sheet member being formed with asector-shaped cut out, said sectorshaped cut outs being progressivelystaggered in one direction; a plurality of tape pieces, each tape piecesecured at one end thereof to said base sheet member at equally spacedpoints adjacent the perimeter of the same, and secured at the other endthereof to one of said writing sheets adjacent the segment-shaped cutout in the same; resilient holding means for securing said superimposedwriting sheets and said base sheet member to said supporting face ofsaid rotary support for rotation in said operating plane; a writingsupport pivotally mounted in said first supporting means and having aface portion located in said operating plane and adapted to support thewriting portions of the sheets; a knife member secured to said writingsupport and located in said operating plane, said knife memberprojecting inwardly in radial direction into the region of said cut outsso as to pass successively through the cut out of each writing sheet andonto the adjacent writing sheet during rotation of said rotary support,and to cut one of said tape pieces after each revolution for separatingcompleted writing sheets from blank writing sheets; a stop on said knifemember passing through the cut out of the last completed writing sheetand engaging and arresting the latter, completed and arrested writingsheets being held by said holding means immovable on said rotarysupport; a second housing means; measuring means secured to said secondhousing means; movable writing means mounted on said second housingmeans and actuated by said measuring means, said movable Writing meanshaving writing point means for writing on writing sheets rotating withsaid rotary supporting means and adapted to project through the cut outsof completed and arrested writing sheets; and hinge means pivotallyattaching said first housing means to said second housing means withsaid writing point means located opposite said face portion of saidwriting support and in said operating plane so that when said first andsecond housing means are opened by pivoting said first housing means,said writing means and said rotary support are separated and saidwriting sheets are easily accessible.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tape pieces are providedwith an adhesive coating on one side only, are bent to be U-shaped, andadhere to said base sheet member and to said writing sheets,respectively.

4. A tachograph device, comprising, in combination, a first supportingmeans; a rotary support rotatably mounted in said first supportingmeans; drive means located in said first supporting means for rotatingsaid rotary support; a plurality of superimposed writing sheets, eachwriting sheet being formed with a sector-shaped cut-out, saidsector-shaped cut-outs being progressively staggered in one direction; aplurality of tape pieces for connecting said writing sheets and beingsecured to each of said writing sheets adjacent the cut-out in the same;holding means for securing said superimposed writing sheets to saidrotary ssupport -located in -an operating plane; a knife member securedto =said first supporting means and=located in said operatingplanqsaidknife member projecting in radial direction-into the region of saidcut-outs so as to pass successively through the cut-out of each writingsheet 'and onto-the adjacent writing sheet during rotation of saidrotary support for cutting one of said tape pieces after each revolutionfor separating completed writing sheets from blank writing sheets; astop on said knife member passing through the cut-out of the lastcompleted writing sheet and engaging and arresting the latter, completedand arrested writing sheets being held by said holding means andremaining on said rotary support; a second supporting means; measuringmeans secured to said second supporting means; movable writing meansmounted on said second supporting means and actuated by said measuringmeans, said movable writing means having writing point means for writingon the writing sheets rotating with said rotary supporting means andadapted to project through the cut-outs of completed and arrestedwriting sheets; and attaching means attaching said first supportingmeans to said second supporting means with said writing point meanslocated in said operating plane.

5. A tachograph as claimed in claim 4 wherein said rotary supportincludes a center pin, wherein said writing sheets are formed with acenter opening, said center pin passing through said center openings;and wherein said holding means includes a spring mounted on said centerpin, and a knob mounted on said center pin adjustable in axial directionof the same for pressing said spring against said superimposed writingsheets.

6. A tachograph as claimed in claim 5 wherein said center pin has an endportion projecting from said superimposed writing sheets and beingformed with a helical groove, and wherein said knob includes an inwardlyprojecting pin engaging said helical slot so that rotation of said knobcauses axial movement of said knob for pressing said spring against saidwriting sheets.

7. A tachograph as claimed in claim 4 wherein said writing sheets areprovided with concentric surface areas located opposite said writingpoint means and adapted to receive graphical recordings of speed andmileage, and wherein each writing sheet is provided with a sectorshapedwriting area adapted to receive a notation concerning the mileagerecorded on the respective writing sheet.

8. A tachograph as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said writingsheets is provided with a sector-shaped writing area adapted to receivenotation concerning the mileage graphically recorded on the respectivewriting sheet, and wherein said base sheet member is provided with asector-shaped writing area adapted to receive a notation concerning thetotal of the mileages graphically recorded on said writing sheets.

9. For use in a graphical recording device, in combination, a circularbase sheet member; a plurality of superimposed writing sheetssuperimposed on one side of said base sheet member, each of said writingsheets with the exception of the writing sheet located adjacent saidbase sheet member being formed with a sector-shaped cut-out, saidsector-shaped cut-outs being progressively staggered in one direction; aplurality of tape pieces, each tape piece having an adhesive coating onone side only, said tape pieces being bent to be U-shaped, each tapepiece being adhesively attached at one end thereof with said one coatedside to said one side of said base sheet member at equally spaced pointsadjacent the perimeter of the same, each tape piece being secured at theother end thereof to one of said writing sheets adjacent thesegment-shaped cut-out in the same, and being adhesively attached withsaid one coated side thereof to a side of the respective writing sheetfacing said base sheet member.

10. A tachograph as claimed in claim 2 and including .7 a signal lamphaving a contact at one end thereof; and References Cited in the file ofthis patent a contact means secured to said writing support electricallyFOREIGN PATENTS insulated therefrom and engaging said contact of saidsignal lamp in normal position of said writing support, and 213,282Switzerland 31, 1941 being separated from said contact when said writingsup- 5 OTHER REFERENCES Port ls Plvoted to an inoperanve P 051mm Ser.No. 352,111, Fornbachner (A. P. 0), published May 25, 1943.

